Guwahati: In a major operation targeting cyber criminals, Morigaon police conducted raids across various parts of the district, including Guwahati, resulting in the arrest of 14 individuals involved in cyber crimes on May 15. The operation unveiled a network of illicit activities orchestrated by the arrested individuals, who were found in possession of a significant amount of cyber equipment and fraudulent documents.
During the overnight raid, Morigaon police apprehended 14 individuals engaged in cyber crimes, with Atabur and Rafiqul being arrested at a rented house in Guwahati’s Hengrabari area. Both individuals, originally from Moirabari, in Morigaon district were found to be orchestrating cyber crimes from their current location in Guwahati.
The arrested individuals were identified as Ayub Rihan Siddique, Abzalur Rahman, Mehdi Alam, Samim Alam, Asadullah, Nekibur, Inamul, Motibur, Kabbal, Akramul, and two individuals named Ayub and Asadullah. Among the items recovered during the raids were 396 SIM cards, 11 PAN cards, two four-wheelers, 36 mobile phones (including iPhones), 25 ATMs, and cheque books.
Notably, some of the arrested individuals, including Inmul, Asadullah, and Atabur, had previous records of cyber crimes and had resumed their illegal activities after being released from jail. Atabur, in particular, was identified as the mastermind behind the cyber crime ring and had gone to extreme lengths to evade capture, including undergoing a hair transplant procedure to alter his appearance.
These cyber criminals were found to be involved in extorting large sums of money from various financial institutions using fake SIMs, Aadhaar cards, and passbooks. It was revealed that they had recently orchestrated a heist amounting to Rs 10 crore from AXIS Bank through fraudulent credit card transactions.
Among the arrested individuals was also the son of a village headman, highlighting the diverse backgrounds of those involved in the cyber crime racket.
The successful operation by Morigaon police reflects their dedication to combating cyber crimes and ensuring the safety of citizens from digital threats. With the arrest of 14 individuals, including the mastermind behind the criminal network, law enforcement agencies are sending a strong message that cyber crimes will not be tolerated. Investigations into the matter are ongoing, and further actions are expected to dismantle the entire cyber crime network operating in the region. It should be mentioned that the minority dominated middle Assam district of Morigaon has become Jamtara of Assam as Muslim cyber criminals made it hub to series of cyber crimes. In the last one year Morigaon police have arrested over 200 cyber criminals, almost all are Muslim, in the district. These cyber criminals used forged documents and fake SIM cards to steal more than 50 crores of Rupees from banks, financial institutions and even from government schemes. But despite numbers of operations and arrests, the cyber crimes in the state are not declining and causing a serious threat to the society.
